At least 39 people including 36 Indians were killed in a bus accident in Nawalparasi district of Nepal on Sunday. 27 passengers of the ill-fated bus are still missing. The victims include 28 men, 10 women and a five-year-old girl.

The mishap occured when the bus, carrying more that 100 pilgrims, skidded off a slippery road and plunged into swollen Gandak canal at Susta. Officials said, 37 of the 39 bodies have been identified so far.

Most of the passenegrs belonged to Maharajgunj district of Uttar Pradesh. UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has announced an ex-gratia of one lakh rupees each to the next kin of those killed in the accident.

External Affairs Ministry said in New Delhi that the Nepalese authorities have reached the spot and are coordinating the relief and rescue operations. Indian Embassy has sent special teams, including a doctor, to the accident site to assist Nepalese authorities in the relief and rescue operations.

An information centre and control room has been established in the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. The phone numbers of the information centre are 00-977-1-4412125 and 00-977-1-4411699 Extension 4109.